[Plugin] ImageTrimmer

charly2008

Hi,

So far I had no problems with this tool. Now I wanted to trim the Romans PNG and get the result shown below. I have no idea why.

Charly

TIG

The issue is that the PNG image has transparency associated with most of its pixels.
'ImageTrimmer' only keeps 100% opaque pixels.
If you edit the PNG [with say Gimp].
Flatten it [the background goes white].
Add a Layer with transparency [alpha-channel].
Use the magic-wand to select the background [here it's two clicks to include the 'hole' between the men].
Then auto-crop the image to minimize the background size - every pixel has to be inspected so the fewer there are the quicker the trimming.
It then ImageTrims OK...vexill2b.skpIncidentally - I recently undated my compression software... and when I just tried to use ImageTrimmer it failed [hung] - this was because for it to work .jar files must open with their default application [Java] BUT by default my compression software has .jar set as one of its file associations and so it opens the file rather than Java executing it... It was easily fixed by resetting the compression tool's preferences NOT to include .jar as one of its file formats... So remember... ensure .jar files execute with Java and don't open with your compression software. Even I get tripped upnow and again...

charly2008

Hi TIG,

thanks for your detailed explanation. I learned something again.

Charly

picky1958

Sorry! I am NOT getting it! I tryed everything, but I can't get it to work. I don't know much about Java. I see those two files from/to get created as well as a copy of the image in the TrimmedImages folder, but nothing else happens. I tryed to run SU as admin, at least from/to got created... but i did't get any futher. Any "simple" (for dummies) suggestions? Thanks

TIG

Please fill in your user-profile so that we know your versions, OS etc...
Help us to help you.

This tool uses some Java functionality that is not built into the Ruby version shipped with Sketchup.
It uses some '.jar' files which are small 'executables' that do a single specific job - in tis case in manipulating images and their data etc.
It works on PC and MAC, but you must have Java 'enabled'.
I think more recent MACs have this as 'optional', but most PCs have it set up by default.
Another issue is that these '.jar' files are small 'executables' - like an '.exe' file - and some [de]compression software hijack this file-type extension [along with many others, without asking, as it is installed] and it will try to 'open' the .jar itself so that you can see its contents.
If so, then you must remove '.jar' from that app's list of 'associated file-types'.
A '.jar' file must always be set to 'execute' - i.e. open with Java...

Also the tool writes temporary 'ini' files to a subfolder in the Plugins folder so you must ensure that you personally have FULL read/write security permissions to the Plugins folder and all of its subfolders and files...

Many hundreds of users get this tool to work 'out-of-the-box'... so you need to check your system settings and retry... We know it is making copies of the image etc, but the timing of the stall suggests that the next step with the .jar file is the thing that is failing...

picky1958

Hi TIG! I know some people are getting the tool working "out-of the-box"... and this drives me crazy! I mean, until now I never had any problem with anything installed on my PC, but this time I really can't find out what I am doing wrong. So... my PC runs Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64 Bit. I got Java set to open .jar files. I am not sure about the read/write stuff. I tryed to change the settings of the folder but once I wanted to save them, it didn't do it. So I retried again and again, but every time it didn't save the changes. That's where I started SU as admin and it did create at least the from/to.ini files, which it didn't before. After that nothing else happened. No warning, no message, nothing.
Thanks for your help! Cheers from Germany.
Ralf

TIG

It looks like a permissions issue: especially since you get different results as yourself and as an Admin.
Being an Admin is not sufficient to allow you to have full access to things within a folder if its permissions are inherently limited.
Log in as an Admin.
You'll have to translate the following 'titles' into German if your locale is not 'EN'...
Highlight the Plugins folder's icon and use the right-click context-menu > Properties > Security > Edit set permissions to that folder to FULL for everyone, including yourself!
Apply and OK to save.
Check that the permissions have filtered down and that FULL also applies to the Plugins folder's contents - both files and subfolders, and their contents etc.
Retry using the tool.

Tip: you might from time to time want to add files/subfolders into other Sketchup folders... I recommend you also fix the permissions of the Components, Materials and Styles folders...

picky1958

Ok, now I really tryed every single combination and I'm still not able to make it work. I guess I am giving up on this one Is there any other tool I can use just to trace around the transparent part of a png without having to do it manually? Probably not, ha? Thanks for your help.
Ralf

leminilab

Adding a Windows Admin account with a password (don't know if it has something to do with it...) did the trick for me.

picky1958

Hi leminilab, that's worth a try! Did you run SU from that account then?

leminilab

@picky1958 said:

Hi leminilab, that's worth a try! Did you run SU from that account then?

Yes. I think I re-installed SU and Image Trimmer on this account and it worked.

Sorry for not being more positive about this but I had to format my pc and I haven't needed image trimmer since...

picky1958

@leminilab said:

@picky1958 said:

Hi leminilab, that's worth a try! Did you run SU from that account then?

Yes. I think I re-installed SU and Image Trimmer on this account and it worked.

Sorry for not being more positive about this but I had to format my pc and I haven't needed image trimmer since...

I tryed it... not working either. Thanks anyways. Ralf

leminilab

Have you got Java installed?

picky1958

@leminilab said:

Have you got Java installed?

Yes, I do.

leminilab

Well Admin acount and Java were the two culprits for me. I'm out of ides... Sorry...

eLaCiD

Sorry on this old question but I try to find solution w/o success.
I read all of posts here but on the end need help.
ImageTrimmer don't work

Let's go

Windows XP pro
IE 8
SU 8

Folder is C:/Temp
Image is Test.png

Plugin folder

SKMtools folder

When I start ImageTrimmer from SU (Tools-ImageTrimer) status line show it works.
After a while process is finished but nothing heppened.
In folder C:/Temp/TrimmedImages (after this there is only Test.png w/o other two files.
Path in files "from.ini" and "to.ini" is ok.

RC shows

If I try manualy with click on EdgeDetector.jar then in folder C:/Temp/TrimmedImages appears and other files - Test[Edges].dat and Test[Edges].png

I try from RC with this result

What now?

TIG

The error tells you is is not making the .dat file.
This is made on the .jar side so it suggests one of several things...
Do you have FULL security permissions to the Plugins folder and its subfolders and their contents?
Select icon right-click context menu > Properties > Security > Edit > FULL... [perhaps as an Admin?]
Because it reads/writes files from the SKMtools subfolder this must be fully accessible to 'ALL'...

Another possibility...
Do you have Java installed on your PC ?
If not install it, it's freely available on the http://www...

Next are JAR files set to 'open' [execute] with Java ?
A JAR file is a small executable that is run by Java to do a simple task - here it processes image data, not readily available cross-platform with SketchUp's version of Ruby alone...
A default Java installation should be set to execute JARs, BUT if you have installed certain deCompression [ZIP] applications they may have a list of file-associations which 'hijack' various file-types and then open them directly within that app, rather than their native application as required for JARs. JAR is often one of those file-types... to correct it open the deCompression [ZIP] app and then open its settings/options dialog - look for a file-associations tab... uncheck JAR, Save the changes and close...

...and retry ImageTrimmer...

eLaCiD

Unfortunately there is not option Security

Java is already instaled

WinRar setings is

TIG

These Java Control Panel settings work for me - see the screen-shots attached...
Windows XP permissions work slightly differently from more recent Windows versions... BUT you can still make sure that you have unrestricted access-rights to the Plugins folder and its contents...
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/sag_seconceptsunobject.mspx?mfr=true
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/sag_seconceptsunobject.mspx?mfr=true

eLaCiD

My Java Control Panel settings are same as yours.

This made help abut how to put security tab
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/sag_seconceptsunobject.mspx?mfr=true

Then with rigt_click

Plugins>Properties>Security
and in Plugins Folder
SKMgtools>Properties>Security

for all Group and user names all permission are marked - Allowe

Then I triggered ImageTrimmer.
Unfortunately situation ia same like before.